


Two Little Angels

by shinsouaizawa



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Angst, Brothers, Donquixote "Corazon" Rosinante Lives, Dressrosa (One Piece), Dressrosa Arc, Hurt/Comfort, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates As Family, Protective Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:02:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinsouaizawa/pseuds/shinsouaizawa
Summary: The pink feathers he caught a glimpse of where the last thing he’d expected.“Dofla-…” He coughed, blood splattering a shirt already drenched in it as he hacked, the movement jarring the damage he’d sustained to his chest causing him to cry out.The snow crunched as his brother came to sit upon it crossing his legs and pulling his coat closer around himself.“Hello brother.”
Comments: 6
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The second I saw these three incredible pieces of fanart I was immediately inspired and this is the result of that inspiration.
> 
> https://rspixart.tumblr.com/post/112384505831/just-in-case-you-thought-you-were-over-it-sorry
> 
> https://rspixart.tumblr.com/post/106884950746/going-home-first-and-last-meeting-of-sengoku-and
> 
> https://rspixart.tumblr.com/post/146923807936/cora-san-came-home-from-the-war-today-he-looks-a
> 
> Go follow rspixart on tumblr and show them some love!!
> 
> I hope I do these beautiful pieces justice :)

He’d already watched Law leave.

Seeing the young boy he’d come to love stumbling through the snow so off-balance and scared as he silently sobbed was harder than he ever could have imagined.

Not as hard as knowing he’d never see him again though.

That had been over ten minutes ago so the footsteps approaching had him concerned.

He could barely move at this point but forced his gaze towards whoever was making an appearance.

The pink feathers he caught a glimpse of where the last thing he’d expected.

“Dofla-…” He coughed, blood splattering a shirt already drenched in it as he hacked, the movement jarring the damage he’d sustained to his chest causing him to cry out.

The snow crunched as his brother came to sit upon it crossing his legs and pulling his coat closer around himself.

“Hello brother.”

“W-what t-the hell are y-you doing here?”

Doflamingo didn’t reply for a long while and Rosinante wasn’t sure if he was even going to but eventually his brother spoke up once again.

“It seems I was more sentimental than I realised.”

He scoffed, grimacing as he did so from the pain.

“Not sentimental enough to spare me though, right?”

“You betrayed me.” Doflamingo replied simply and matter of fact before the unmistakable sound of a deep exhale followed. “But whatever you did, you’re still my little brother.”

“We stopped being brothers the second you killed our father. I spent too much of my life growing up wondering how the hell someone so cruel could ever have been the son of our parents, you are a cancer Doflamingo and you infect everything you touch.”

“You really hate me that much?” The grin plastered on Doflamingo’s face was less wicked than he’d imagined it would be, another emotion clouding it a little that he couldn’t work out.

_Was it regret? Guilt?_

Surely not.

Doflamingo took a box of cigarettes from his coat pocket and placed one in his mouth, he then offered the pack towards him.

He shook his head.

Lighting up, his brother took a long drag before blowing out a small cloud of smoke.

“You know, I knew you were in the Marines.”

Rosinante’s eyes widened.

Doflamingo smirked.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t? We may have been apart for a very long time but I still liked to keep tabs on you.”

“Then why did you-?"

“Plus it was kinda’ nice to have you around again. You can think whatever you want of me, but that protectiveness, it wasn’t an act. I surprised even myself with how quickly I took to being your older brother again; I suppose it’s innate in all of us.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Is there a r-reason you came or did you just want to mock me?”

“Like I said, think whatever you want, but I’m only speaking the truth. That first week you were with us, that guy who shot you, I tore him apart after the doctor began treating you, it was kinda’ fun actually, I found that a nice motivation does wonders to your creativity when teaching someone a lesson.”

Rosinante scoffed.

“Am I supposed to say thank you?”

“You don’t have to say a damn thing.”

Doflamingo sighed.

“I-…” His brother cut off, swallowing whatever he had meant to say.

“What?”

“I wish things could have worked out between us.”

“It never would have worked; we were just destined to be in opposition of one another.”

“If only we’d stayed in-.”

“Enough with that!” Rosinante began to cough violently, raising his voice taking more out of him than he thought it would.

“Breathe idiot…”

“Y-y-ou try with this many bullet wounds.” He spat in reply, voice shaking as he screwed his eyes closed.

Doflamingo didn’t give one of his usual cocky comebacks instead staying silent.

“Remember when we used to sneak into the library as kids?”

Rosinante cracked open an eye.

“You couldn’t read back then so you’d pick a book off the shelf and pretend to read it, you even had one upside down one of the times.”

“We went to the library?”

“Yeah, the old lady who ran it was kind to us…” Doflamingo scowled. “That’s where that protectiveness I talked about started. I know I was a kid too but I felt like I had a responsibility over you. Dad was a waste of space and Mom was sick so that left me to raise you.” He paused. “Seeing those pieces of scum hit you and kick you made me want to kill every last one of them. I heard you crying more than I ever heard you speak back then and I don’t remember a time when you weren’t bruised or bloody.”

“Neither of us should’ve had to go through that.”

“I had to show you how to drink enough water to trick your body into thinking it was full, that’s not something anyone should have to teach their little brother, not ever. Those people starved us just to get revenge for something we didn’t even do.”

“We killed their families, their children…”

“YOU WERE EIGHT-YEARS-OLD!” Doflamingo bellowed. “You were just a curious little kid who didn’t understand why people hated you so much. You were scared of your own shadow and even after people had hurt you, even after you were bleeding and damn near concussed, you told me you were upset because people didn’t want to be friends with you.”

“So what, this is my fault now?!” Rosinante spat back. “I dared to have a heart so I deserve this?!” He motioned towards his chest with a shaking hand. “If you cared so damn much THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU SHOOT ME EIGHT TIMES?!” He roared.

His brother couldn’t meet his gaze, pulling another cigarette from the packet and lighting it.

“Do you want the truth, then here’s the honest fucking truth?! You are a monster Doffy, a spoilt brat who thinks he deserves everything just because people were mean to you. I’ve been sweeping up after you my entire life, dismantling your trafficking rings and picking up the pieces with the kids you left orphaned while you happily murdered and tortured your way across the Grand Line. I despise the fact that I was ever your brother you sick, twisted, cockroach of a human!”

He coughed once again.

“And despite all that, do you know what I told Law?...” Rosinante began, tone growing ever weaker as he felt himself slowly shutting down. “I said that we are brothers by blood… I told him you’d get pissed at me but that I was sure you wouldn’t kill me.”

That seemed to get his brother’s attention.

“Because although you killed our father, I never thought you would ever be able to do the same to me… but I was wrong.” He grit his teeth. “So you can take your brotherly love and shove it up your ass, Doffy.”

“ROSINANTE!”

His eyes widened.

_That sounded like…_

Doflamingo was wordless as he got to his feet.

Rosinante turned to him, mouth falling agape as he lay stunned.

A whole fleet of footsteps could be heard sprinting closer in the distance.

His brother took one last drag of his cigarette before throwing it away.

“So long, brother.”

Doflamingo turned to leave.

“Wait!”

He paused.

“Why?”

“Excuse me?”

Rosinante coughed once again.

“Why did you call them?”

But Doflamingo didn’t answer his question.

“That story I used to read you as a kid, about the two little angels, it wasn’t actually from the book from the library, it was something our mother used to tell us.”

He gasped.

“There once were two little angels who fell from the clouds. They landed with a bump as they looked around the strange place. The people there were different than them; they didn’t have wings, their clothes were bright and colourful, and they couldn’t fly. The littlest angel got scared because the non-cloud people began to stare. ‘They’ve never seen angels before’ said the biggest angel brother, ‘they’re just as scared of you as you are of them’. The littlest angel frowned, ‘but I don’t want them to be scared of me, I want us to be friends’. And so the two little angels began to talk to the non-cloud people and soon they were laughing and smiling together like old friends which made the brothers very happy’; and even though they missed their home up in the sky they came to love their new home just as much.”

He watched as his brother slowly walked away through the snow.

“The end.”

Rosinante’s breath shook.

“I called them for our mother, I want to see her again one day and she would never forgive me if I didn’t give you a chance to live. I figured it was up to them, if you fought and stayed alive then they’d be there to save you, I had faith that you wouldn’t just lay down and die and I guess I was right.”

He felt his eyes flickering as Doflamingo’s voice grew quieter and quieter across the distance between them.

“I meant what I said before, you’re still my brother Rosi, and for that reason I will always love you; so stay out of my damn way and go retire somewhere nice, I don’t want to have to kill you again.”

“SIR HE’S UP AHEAD!”

“WE NEED THE MEDIC!”

“ROSINANTE!”

He felt hands on his cheeks as the world seemed to fade away into nothing, a smile on his face.

_Thank you, brother._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted the fic to end this way because it was my intention for it to be open-ended. I want you to decide what you think happened? Was the darkness Corazon slipped into him passing away like he did in the show? Did he just pass out from lack of blood but was ultimately saved by Sengoku just in time? I thought it was way more fun for you to have that choice.
> 
> But... because I didn't want to deprive anyone who (like me) wishes that lovely Rosinante didn't die, the ending isn't too open. So like I said, this fic can be a standalone but I'm also writing an epilogue too which will be coming soon, and yes, those of you who noticed the tag, it will feature Law reuniting with Corazon so I hope you stick around to check that out.
> 
> Thank you guys!


	2. Chapter 2

It was hours later that Law finally found himself able to sit down and take a breath. The damage Straw Hat had taken was extensive, not to mention the extreme strain he'd forced his body through.

But he seemed like he was going to pull through, they would just have to wait.

_'Purururu.'_

He furrowed an eyebrow as he removed the mini transponder snail from his coat.

_Who the hell would that be?_

_'Click'_

"I'm tired and I'm really not in the mood, who the hell is this?"

"Trafalgar Law, you're a very hard man to track."

His eyes widened.

_Sengoku?_

"That's kinda the point." He paused. "Is there a reason you called me or did you just want to have a friendly chat after your men murdered Straw Hat's brother?"

"I'm not calling on my own business."

"Stop talking in damn riddles and get to the point!"

"There's someone you need to see, how fast can you get to the East Blue?"

"The East Blue... do you know how-."

"'How far away that is from your current position', yes I do, but I don't ask this of you lightly and I promise it will be worth your while."

Law scoffed, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"So let me get this straight, you expect me to dump Straw Hat off somewhere and then turn tail all the way back through the Grand Line to the East Blue just on your vague word? This sounds like a trap no matter how you try and spin it."

"I promise you it is not, this isn't something I would lie to you about. I mentioned you are hard to track and I mean that wholeheartedly, I've been trying to get your position for years and never successfully managed until today."

Law was dumbfounded.

"What could possibly be that important?"

"01746."

The transponder snail bounced and landed with a thud as it dropped from his hand.

* * *

Startling awake he coughed and spluttered before gasping for air he couldn't seem to find.

He felt hands on him as his head spun.

"Rosinante... just breathe... you need to breathe..."

And for the first time since he'd stumbled to consciousness, he did.

Flopping back exhausted against the pillows he closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

"Where am I?"

"The medical centre at Marine Headquarters."

He cracked open an eye to look down at himself. The eccentric wardrobe he'd initially hated but eventually come to love was gone, instead replaced with hospital scrubs.

"How long has it been?"

"Just over a week."

"And Law?"

"I presume you mean the child you gave that devil fruit to?"

"Yes I do." He replied firmly.

A sigh followed.

"No signs of him."

"But he's alive?"

Sengoku slumped back in his chair.

"It would seem so."

_Thank god._

"Because?"

"There have been sightings of two older boys carrying an unconscious child to a village on Swallow Island, all three were gone before our scout could speak with them." Sengoku paused. "There was also apparently a polar bear."

He cracked a smile.

"He's a wonderful kid."

* * *

Learning to walk again was harder than he ever could imagined but he used his will to one day be able to meet the young boy he had come to see as a son once again as his main motivation.

But days turned to months and months turned to years.

Back to normalcy once again but weaker than he'd been previously he was forced to retire from the Marines and his rank of Commander.

Sengoku had taken him to the East Blue and helped him get settled in a small village there. The peace and quiet was heavenly compared to what he had become used to over the years.

He soon came to adore the slower pace of life although there was something still missing. Something ever present in the back of his mind, something that pulled at his heart.

_Or someone._

He'd tried to track the young boy but Sengoku had nothing more than potential sights to offer him. Rosinante could only stare at the vast ocean and hope that Law was alive and well out there somewhere on the open sea.

But he would give anything to see him once again.

* * *

His crew hadn't taken too kindly to the idea of sailing at haste all the way back to the East Blue but his expression seemed to convey just how much he wasn't playing around.

Arriving at the village Sengoku had gave him he docked before heading into town.

It was strange how nervous he felt to meet someone again he had no reason to be nervous over. I mean, it was Cora-san.

_Cora-san._

That's what he had come to call him; he remembered it had nearly brought the man to tears the first time he’d used it.

But that was thirteen-years-ago and Cora-san… he’d…

He still didn’t fully trust Sengoku but he also couldn’t bring himself to not chase up just in case… just in the hope that there was some truth behind those words and the man who’d sailed across the spans of the oceans in an attempt to cure him, who’d betrayed his own comrades in the Navy just to acquire the devil fruit which would save his life, who’d stood up against his brother knowing full well he was walking to his death and still made sure to apologise for keeping the truth about his service in the Marines and stay alive long enough to keep him safe as he screamed and sobbed through the snow on Swallow Island.

He remembered how broken he’d been the second he could hear his own voice once again, how loud his wails were as he just felt empty inside because once again he was alone and he had been until he’d stumbled across Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo. They’d kept him hidden and looked after him while he grieved despite not being that much older than he was at the time, then he’d disappeared off to sea where, apparently, he’d done a good job of escaping the eyes of the Marines, or at least Sengoku.

But it had been THIRTEEN-YEARS how could this possibly be him?

Looking down at the scrap of paper he’d hastily scrawled the address on, his handwriting was barely legible from how shaky his hands had been from shock after the news.

_‘A little house just past the town up on the cliffs overlooking the sea’_

Sounded peaceful at least.

As he approached the path towards the house he soon found himself almost hesitant to proceed, scared of getting his hopes up just in case it was all going to just be some hoax set up by the Marines.

It certainly didn’t seem that way though.

The village was quiet, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, numerous locals had smiled at him when he’d passed through, there were no wanted posters anywhere, and he hadn’t even seen a single Marine since he’d docked.

Reaching the door he went to knock but stopped just shy, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes before…

_‘Knock knock knock’_

He waited, the anxiety in his chest rising with every second he was left in the silence, the waves crashing against the rocks the only sound he could hear.

And then…

The door opened.

The man who’d opened it looked so… different. All the eccentricities of his previous life as an infiltrator of the Donquixote Pirates were gone, the make-up, the ridiculous hat, the ill-fitting shirt, and the ginormous feather coat he was endlessly setting on fire. But it was one-hundred-percent him.

“C-cora-san…” His voice was barely audible.

Rosinante’s expression was much the same as his own, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as he seemed to be rationalising what he was seeing in front of him.

“Law?” A huge smiled came to his face seconds later before a happy chuckle. “Law!”

Before he could say anything more the man rushed from the doorway and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into the tightest squeeze of a hug imaginable.

“Hi.” He sniffled tearfully.

Cora-san pulled back, still keeping his hands on his arms as he looked him over.

“You got so tall, and you’re older, and you’re okay.”

Law smirked.

“Still not as tall as you.”

“I- I can’t believe this, I can’t believe that you’re here, how?” Tears had trickled down his cheeks.

“Sengoku, I was picking someone up from Marine Headquarters and he contacted me. He told me I should take a trip to the East Blue, then he told me your marine code. I wasn’t sure whether he was just lying through his teeth but apparently not.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Cora-san… how are you alive?”

“Doffy… uhh, my brother, he called the Marines, said he was going me a chance to survive if I was strong enough to hold on.”

“But your devil fruit power… it stopped working, I thought that meant you were.”

“I passed out from blood loss.”

* * *

“Rosinante…” Sengoku could barely find a breath as he knelt down in the snow over the body of the boy he’d come to see as a son. “ROSINANTE!”

When he’d received a call from Donquixote Doflamingo himself he’d expected threats but instead was given the offer of saving Rosinante on the terms that he would never be a Marine again.

It hadn’t been hard to agree and in the end he’d received his son’s location from the elder Donquixote brother.

The entire way to the site his mind could barely think beyond a constant loop of begging Rosinante to hold on just that little bit longer until they got there.

When they’d arrived he could just see a hint of pink disappearing off into the distance before he’d sprinted the last of the way, skidding to a halt beside Rosinante and screaming for the medic.

“Come on you need to hang in there! I need you alive! That boy you care so damn much about needs you alive so don’t you dare think about giving up on us, do you hear me?!”

The medic set to work on what was a grim sight to behold, the boy had so many holes in his chest it was a miracle he wasn’t dead already.

“The snow might just have saved him life, that and staying conscious for so long; must have been pretty hard in his condition.”

_Doflamingo._

Apparently the elder brother still had some humanity left within his black heart, seeing him leave had obviously been the end of the two brothers’ conversation. He’d kept his brother lucid until they’d arrived.

_‘If you want to save him then you better get a move on, the snow’s already red.’_

“Get him stable and then we’ll move him out.”

“Yes, Sir.”

* * *

“After that I woke up in the hospital and needed to recover from being in a coma. Learning to walk again wasn’t exactly fun but at least I was alive and so were you, that’s all that mattered to me.”

Law scrubbed a hand down his face.

“Law… I wanted to come and find you the second I was back on my feet but you were nowhere to be found. At least now I get to see just what an amazing man you’ve turned out to be, I mean, I’ve been reading the newspapers, you’re in the running to be the next Pirate King along with Straw Hat and Eustass Kid, that’s no small feat, you should be proud.”

Cora-san smirked.

“And it’s nice to see you kept your style of hat.”

Law smiled.

“I-I’m a doctor now, although the name they gave me is a little…”

“‘The Surgeon of Death’, very scary, perfect for a future King.”

It was amazing how quickly Cora-san was back to his old ‘proud Dad’ self, fawning over even the smallest of achievements.

“So you’re retired?”

“Yep, not really by choice but it’s better this way.”

“And Doflamingo, have you read much about him recently?”

Cora-san paused before sighing.

“I take it he’s pretty high on your list of people you wanna’ kill?”

Law nodded.

“So Dressrosa, you heading there soon?”

“Probably, depends on how fast Straw Hat recovers.”

Cora-san nodded.

The concern on his father figure’s face was clear as day.

“I don’t think I need to say this, because you’ve seen first-hand just what my brother is capable of, but regardless, be careful… please… for me?”

Law smiled.

“You underestimate how persistent the Straw Hats are with their _friendship_ ; they won’t let anything happen to me, trust me.” He teased.

“You have friends!” Cora-san exclaimed with his signature toothy grin that he’d missed so damn much.

He couldn’t hold back any longer, he had to say it.

“Cora-san?”

“Yes, Law?”

“Come with me, join my crew. Well… actually, I was thinking about joining Straw Hat, he’s already offered; you should come too.”

“Law…” Cora-san sighed.

“Please! Help us take down Doflamingo, that was your mission, right?”

“I can’t just become a pirate…”

“You did when you went undercover infiltrating the Donquixote Family, you were the damn Corazon, so why not join us, let me show you the Grand Line, and trust me, the Straw Hats will love you.”

“I’m an old man, Law.”

He scoffed before doing some mental math.

“You’re thirty-seven, Cora-san…”

“That’s old for beginning a life of piracy.”

Law shook his head.

“Who cares?”

“I can’t just leave, I mean…” Cora-san looked around.

“Cora-san… no offence, but this place looks boring as hell, it’s not you, either version of you. Please, come and meet the Straw Hats I guarantee they’ll change your mind.”

The older man scoffed.

“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?”

“I’ve just got you back; I’m not losing you again.”

And if that didn’t seem to punch Cora-san right in the chest.

“Fine, I’ll come with you.” His father figure smiled before ruffling his hair. “You better be right about how cool these friends of yours are, the legendary Commander Donquixote doesn’t just join any old bunch of pirates.” He teased.

“I have no doubt that Straw Hat will become king of the pirates, I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t serious about this. We’ll conquer the Grand Line and take down Doflamingo together.”

Cora-san smiled.

“Well come on then, you better help me pack, where’s your ship?”

“In the dock.” He paused, realising the detail he’d missed. “Oh and it’s… it’s kinda not a ship.”

The older man furrowed an eyebrow.

“Meaning?”

“It’s a submarine.”

Cora-san’s eyes lit up as he gasped in amazement.

“SO COOL!”

Law smirked.

* * *

**Two Years & Two Months Later**

“Oyyy, Traffy!” Shouted Straw Hat before he swung down from the upper deck and crashed into him, wrapping his arms and legs behind him in a piggyback he hadn’t agreed to.

“Get off me!” He shoved the kid off sending him falling to the wooden deck.

Luffy laughed.

“Yo-ho-ho! Rosi-san please do be careful.”

He turned to see Brook holding onto the collar of Cora-san’s shirt having saved him a fall down the steps of the Sunny.

“Thank you, Soul King.”

“Yo-ho-ho!”

_'Purururu.'_

Furrowing an eyebrow, Cora-san pulled the mini transponder snail from his pocket.

_‘Click’_

“Hello?”

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL ME WHY THERE’S A WANTED POSTED WITH YOUR NAME ON IT LYING ON MY DESK?!”

Cora-san winced at the volume before turning to them.

“Excuse me a second.” He clicked his fingers. “Silent.”

A familiar dome appeared around him and the sound disappeared. It was comical to watch his father figure’s reactions to being scorned by his own father-figure.

“Haha, Rosi’s in trouble.” Luffy chuckled.

Usopp walked out from his workshop and raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of him.

Cora-san clicked off the snail before removing the barrier.

“And?” He enquired.

“He’s slightly pissed.” The older man joked.

“Rosi!”

“Yes, Usopp?”

“That Marine issued gun you use, the aim on that thing is awful, how the hell do you hit anything?”

He smirked.

“A lot of years of trial and error.”

“Well, here.”

Usopp revealed the weapon he’d been hiding behind him back and threw it over.

Cora-san began to inspect the new paint job which seemed to be inspired by his outfit back from their Donquixote Family days. A deep burgundy with black accents, his signature eye make-up painted on the stock, and a metal hanging heart charm to match.

“I completely changed the sight and it shouldn’t kick as much as it used to either.”

The older man nodded, clearly impressed.

“You got some rounds?”

“Yeah, here.”

Loading them into the gun Cora-san looked around for something to shoot.

He spied Zoro asleep on the upper deck and more importantly the bottle of sake next to him. Knowing Zoro, the swordsman would have finished the thing hours ago making it a perfect target.

Getting into position he looked down the sight before getting the bottle within it. He took a breath and held it before…

_‘SMASH’_

“W-wah?! What the hell?...” Zoro startled awake before noticing the now smashed bottle beside him and looking over to the bunch of them on the deck. He spotted the culprit immediately. “ROSI YOU ASSHOLE!”

Luffy was nearly on the deck he was laughing so hard.

“Nice shot.” Law complimented.

“Usopp… this is…” Cora-san shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve got talent, kid.”

“Well I did provide weapons for all eight-thousand of the men in my army.”

“Awww, did Rosi smash your sake?” Sanji mocked as he exited the kitchen.

“You can shut the hell up too, shitty cook!”

“Who you calling shitty cook you damn mosshead?!”

“Thank you, Usopp, it’s amazing!”

“Not a problem, you’re nakama now, that means the Usopp Factory is always open for upgrades.”

Cora-san smiled.

* * *

Reaching Dressrosa, the atmosphere was tense on the Sunny.

They each had their own mission on the island and set off accordingly.

It wasn’t long before he and Cora-san saw a familiar shade of pink.

He heard his father-figure growl under his breath before storming forward.

“Cora-san!”

“DOFFY!”

The eldest Donquixote brother froze on the spot before turning with his usual malicious grin.

“Rosi… how’s retirement?” He then noticed Law. “And I see you brought your little pet along too, how nice for you.”

But he didn’t back down.

Doflamingo scoffed.

“You really don’t want to do this…”

“TRAFFY!”

Straw Hat burst onto the scene just in time.

“Anyone else?” The elder brother laughed before adjusting his coat. “I still like my odds even one on three.”

“We’re ending this right now! You’ll pay for what you did to Dressrosa and Rosi!” Luffy declared with a growl.

Doflamingo chuckled once again.

“Rosi, eh? My how close you’ve all gotten…”

“You’re going down Doflamingo!” Law added.

“Let’s just see about that shall we?”

* * *

“LAW!” Cora-san screamed as his brother’s devil fruit power sliced his arm clean off.

He cried out as agony overwhelmed every sensation in his body, boots scraping at the ground beneath him.

“Law! Law!” His father-figure slid to his knees beside him, gathering him up against his chest and not letting go despite how much he bucked. Cora-san's breathing was heavy in both fear and immense anger as he growled every couple of breaths. “You’re okay, you’re okay…” He watched as he turned away briefly. “LUFFY!”

“Protect Traffy, I’ll deal with your brother.”

“Be careful!”

“You’ve become quite a gutsy little shit, Law.” Doflamingo spat. “Do you remember the letter from that time, the one my brother gave you?”

That seemed to peak Cora-san’s attention.

“He was trying to save this very country, if only you hadn’t blown it that day.” He began to laugh. “I’m sure you remember, but it looks like my brother didn’t, blood loss is a bitch, isn’t it, _Rosi_?”

Cora-san turned back to him and leant close.

“Ignore him.”

“You know, you were nearly responsible for Corazon’s death. With that letter, maybe the numerous tragedies that fell upon this country would never have happened.”

“None of this is on you!” The older man growled. “None of it!”

Which only made Doflamingo laugh harder as he continued to fight Straw Hat.

“Regardless of whether Law delivered that letter, you would have wormed your way into this country anyway.”

He grinned.

“I know, but it was still fun to taunt the boy; you know, just like old times…”

Law groaned as he screwed his eyes shut against the pain.

“Hold on, just hold on for me!”

“I-I’m g-going to p-pass out…” He was barely able to string words together as his whole body felt heavy, his head coming to slump against Cora-san’s shoulder.

“TRAFFY!” Straw Hat screamed as Doflamingo appeared in a flash.

Cora-san went to turn but Law pushed him aside just as the eldest Donquixote brother voiced his attack.

“Fallbright!”

And then five strings pierced through his chest causing him to lose the contents of his lungs in a second, breathless and skewered.

“LAW!” His father-figure cried out.

“You’re really a poor soul.” Doflamingo commented. “You were born in the hellish White Town. In your youth, your future seemed just plain darkness. Then you met my young brother Rosi and he extended your life expectancy but you’ve been holding a grudge against me as if you’re the ghost of him and living to get revenge which is only made all the more humorous by the fact he’s not actually dead.” He smirked. “You joined the Straw Hats and even came to Dressrosa, what an astounding obsession. But…”

A gun, no, _the_ gun from all those years ago was aimed at him.

“…it’s okay now.” He grinned. “What a worthless thirteen-years you’ve spent. I feel sorry for you. Your death is inevitable so die in vain like a dog!”

Cora-san had bodily shoved him out of the way this time but he couldn’t help the laughter he broke out in.

“Law?” His father-figure asked in concern.

“It’s you who is not seeing the picture, Doflamingo! The Straw Hats have worked so many miracles up until today; I was even there to witness some of them. You can’t take down Luffy, and you won’t take back Caesar from him either.” He grinned. “It’s your future that’s hanging by a hair…”

Before he could finish there was a flash and then his chest burnt once more as he cried out.

“Law!”

“You never stop rebelling against me!”

‘BANG’

“You are a pathetic…”

‘BANG’

“…useless…”

‘BANG’

“…joke of an opponent!”

‘BANG’

Cora-san roared as he charged to his feet and threw himself at his brother, knocking the gun away before he could fire the final shot and landing a punch across his face.

“DOFLAMINGO!”

But the elder only chuckled.

“What are you going to do, _Rosi_ , mute me to death?”

“Traffy!”

Luffy dropped to his knees beside him as he began to fuss over his wounds.

Cora-san grabbed his gun, newly modified by Usopp and cocked it.

Doflamingo grinned viciously.

“You couldn’t pull the trigger all those years ago so what makes you think you could ever do it now?”

The younger brother rose the barrel towards Doflamingo’s chest.

“Try me.” He growled.

“All protective once again now that you’ve got your kid back; did you have a nice reunion?”

“THREE SWORD STYLE, 108 CALLIBER PHEONIX!”

“CORA-SAN!” Law screamed.

His father-figure only just managed to dodge the attack in time but it was a dead hit on his brother.

Doflamingo gasped.

“Attacking someone from behind like that isn’t considered very swordsman-like, but you hurt my nakama and that’s a death sentence on this crew.” Zoro informed menacingly as he walked over.

“SMOKE STAR!”

_‘Poof’_

The rooftop became engulfed in seconds.

“THEN SPECIAL ATTACK, CHARGING METEOR SHOWER!”

Sections of the stone castle came hurtling through the air before collapsing down onto the eldest Donquixote brother.

“Warlord or not, you’re no match for God Usopp!”

Law furrowed an eyebrow.

_God Usopp?..._

“SEIS FLEUR!”

“Robin!”

She shot them a smile despite the rage in her expression.

“CLUTCH!”

With Doflamingo secured the Straw Hats and Cora-san surrounded him.

Luffy leant down and wrapped Law’s remaining arm around his shoulders before supporting his weight so that they could join them.

“You dare to challenge me you insolent little worms?! I possess the blood of this world's creators and you, you’re not even worthy enough to be gravel beneath my feet.”

“I’ve heard enough…” Cora-san spat in disgust before placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Calm.”

And then there was only silence.

Doflamingo continued to rage on but no one seemed to care.

“Captain.”

Luffy turned to Cora-san.

“Yeah?”

His father-figure walked over and took his weight from Straw Hat.

“As your subordinate it’s not my place to decide what happens here, that choice ultimately falls to you; we either kill him, right here right now, or we hand him over to the Marines where he’ll spend the rest of his life in Impel Down.”

“C-cora-san.” He forced out, sagging as he did so, the pain becoming too much as unconsciousness crawled nearer and nearer.

“Shh, shh, shh…” Cora-san hushed softly. “You’ve given more than enough, just relax now, let the Straw Hats take it from here, Law.”

“You’re both one of us now too, don’t forget that.” Zoro gave a smile before turning to Straw Hat. “So what’s it gonna’ be, Luffy?”

“ROSINANTE!”

Cora-san closed his eyes with a wince at the stern call.

“Sengoku… what a lovely surprise.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing you stupid fool of a man, did I teach you nothing in the Marines?!”

“Look we can have this lecture in full later but for now, do you have any sea prism stone cuffs?”

“Why do-?”

The Admiral’s question cut off as the smoke cleared revealing the restrained and muted Donquixote brother. He turned back to Cora-san with an expression of disbelief before grabbing for his transponder snail.

“All units report to the roof of the castle, Doflamingo had been contained!”

“He hasn’t been contained yet, give us the cuffs.” Cora-san motioned towards Zoro.

Sengoku grabbed the set and threw them to the swordsman.

“Here.”

The swordsman nodded before advancing the short distance towards Doflamingo.

The guy was almost animalistic now as he bared his teeth and growled out silently as his crewmate approached.

“Your reign ends here, Doflamingo.” Luffy voiced.

And with that, the cuffs were clicked in place.

As the cage began to vanish they could hear the roars of celebration from the citizens of Dressrosa down below.

The Marines arrived seconds later.

“Take him away!”

It was an amazing sight to behold watching the Marine soldiers drag a still raging Doflamingo away.

“Gahhhh…” He groaned as his legs were no longer able to support his weight, the darkness taking hold as he fell to the ground.

“LAW!”

“TRAFFY!”

* * *

Floorboards creaking underfoot alerted him of a visitor.

It was the last person he’d expected.

“Rosi… come to gloat?”

“Just a little.” His younger brother smirked before taking a seat, leaning back against the wall beside the bars of the Marine ship cell.

“Then fuck off back to your little friends, I don’t need you here.”

But Rosinante didn’t move.

He groaned.

“What the hell are you doing here in the first place; does Admiral Pops know you’re down here?”

His brother shrugged.

“Does it matter?”

Neither of them said a word for a few minutes before he finally broke the silence.

“The kid, he live?”

“No thanks to you.”

Rosinante exhaled deeply before tipping his head back.

“Don’t tell me it’s your turn to get sentimental, Rosi, I think we’re way past that at this point.”

“I’ve never had sentimentality for you; the fact that you still had any for me was the biggest conundrum from back then. I didn’t understand how you could be so twisted and evil and yet still force the pretence that you even gave the slightest inch of a crap about me. I don’t know when the hell you snapped, whether it was the day they strung us up or when they decided to murder our father in cold blood, but you can’t hide behind those excuses forever, you need to take some damn responsibility for once in your life.”

He smirked.

“You make it sound like I get a trial, some way to defend myself. No, those Marines will just throw me to the depths of Impel Down and never speak my name again; one of their own Warlords tossed away like scraps.”

“It’s nothing less than you deserve.”

“Harsh.”

“You tried to kill both me and my son; I don’t have a drop of sympathy left in me for you.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Son, huh? That’s a new one.”

Doflamingo watched his brother’s reaction noticing how it had very clearly been a slip of the tongue but one he clearly and wholeheartedly believed to be true.

He smirked.

“You don’t do things by half do you brother?”

“And you just don’t know when to quit.”

“Rosinante! I know you’re down there you little punk, get your ass on deck!”

“Daddy’s calling.”

“I will mute you again.”

He chuckled.

Rosinante got to his feet and brushed himself off before heading for the door.

“Rosi?”

He paused.

“What?”

“Even though we hate each other, and you no longer consider me your brother, my thoughts remain the same as they did last time we had one of these heart-to-hearts. I still love you and you’ll always be my little brother.”

Rosi seemed caught off-guard by the admission but did well not to show it.

“You’ll never get out before you die so I won’t see you again.” His brother paused. “But I hope… I hope that one day when we’re at peace that we’ll be allowed to join mother and father and be brothers again.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Goodbye, Doffy.”

And with that the door clunked closed.

* * *

“Oooooooh!” Luffy poked at his now re-attached arm.

“Stop prodding it!”

Footsteps approached before Cora-san appeared back.

“And where the hell have you been, as if I don’t already know?!”

“Don’t talk to your father that way.” Cora-san replied, clearly having meant the statement as a joke but it had only left him stunned.

“Awww, he’s your Dad!” Luffy fawned.

“Wait, hold on-.”

“Zoro, Usopp, the sails aren’t gonna’ just hoist themselves...”

"Right!"

Robin walked over to the still gobsmacked Law.

“Well he’s certainly found his sea legs again; you can tell he used to be a Commander.”

He smiled.

“Traffy!”

“Yes, Straw Hat?”

“Aww, you never call me Captain.” Luffy sulked.

“I’m not calling you Captain, just be glad I joined you at all.”

“Boo!”

“Did you want anything in particular?”

“Oh yeah, we need to set course for Zou, do you think you could navigate us there?”

“No problem.”

He walked up to the wheel and took hold.

“Everybody ready?”

“All good back here!” Zoro replied.

“Same here!” Usopp chimed in.

“Ohhhh look at my boy all grown up!” Rosinante called out.

Law rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

“You good… Captain?”

Luffy’s eyes widened with a toothy grin. Two outstretched hands came to rest on his shoulders before the lunatic launched himself over sending them both into a heap on the floor upon impact.

“LUFFY!”

“You called me Captain, that’s so cool!”

Law shoved the imbecile off him before returning to the wheel.

“You’re a child, Straw Hat.”

“Thank you.”

He smirked, shaking his head.

“That’s not usually considered a compliment.”

“Yeah but for you it was pretty nice.”

Cora-san laughed as he walked over.

“He’s very grumpy isn’t he, always has been.”

“I bet!”

He rolled his eyes before steering the ship away from the dock as the wind picked up.

After they’d left Dressrosa in the distance, Cora-san walked over. His arm came to wrap around him before he was pulled into a hug against his father’s side. They were silent for a few minutes, happy just to enjoy the view of the sun beginning to set on the horizon before he finally spoke up.

“Thanks.”

Law furrowed an eyebrow.

“What for?”

“That life back in the East Blue, it wasn’t for me. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine you showing up on my doorstep and offering me a whole new adventure, but that’s exactly what you did, and I couldn’t be more grateful to you because of it. You already gave my life a whole lot more meaning back when I first met you all those years ago but now, I have a family again… I have a son; it’s a little overwhelming but in the best possible way.”

“You deserve it all, Cora-san.”

His father smiled before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you, Law.”

He smiled.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr @finral


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